The present invention relates to an electrical connector and a terminal for the electrical connector. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical connector including a housing having a lance portion disposed in a terminal hole of the housing, and a terminal for the electrical connector including an engaging portion for engaging the lance portion.
Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional electrical connector. According to Patent Reference, a terminal is inserted from a contacting portion situated at a front side thereof into a terminal hole of a housing in a state that a cable is connected to a rear portion of the terminal.    Patent Reference Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-281207
In the conventional electrical connector, the terminal includes an engaging portion for preventing coming off from the housing. The engaging portion engages a front end surface of a lance portion provided in the housing. The lance portion has a stem-like shape and obtains elasticity. When the terminal is inserted into the terminal hole of the housing, the engaging portion passes over where the lance portion is situated, since the lance portion deforms elastically upon being pushed by the engaging portion. When the terminal is fitted completely, the lance portion is released from the elastic deformation and engages the engaging portion with the front end surface thereof.
After the terminal is fitted completely, a key member having a box shape is fitted to the housing. An outer surface of the lance portion closely faces the key member. Accordingly, the lance portion does not deform elastically outward. Consequently, the engaging portion maintains a state of engaging the lance portion even when the terminal inadvertently receives a pulling force via the cable.
In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, when the cable connected to the terminal is inadvertently pulled in an extracting direction of the terminal or a rear direction, the engaging portion of the terminal abuts against the front end surface of the lance portion having the stem-like shape. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the terminal from coming off. When the cable is pulled with a great force, the lance portion tends to buckle upon receiving a buckling stress in a longitudinal direction thereof since the lance portion receives the pulling force via the engaging portion at the front end surface thereof.
In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the key member having a box shape closely faces the outer surface of the lance portion. Accordingly, the key member regulates the lance portion to deform outward elastically. As a result, it is possible to prevent the lance portion from buckling outward.
Depending on a force applied to the cable, the lance portion may buckle inward or outward. However, in the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, it is difficult to prevent the lance portion from buckling inward.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector including a terminal obtained by shaping a metal plate without a complicated configuration, and capable of preventing the lance portion from buckling. It is possible to prevent the lance portion from buckling by regulating the deformation of the lance portion toward both outward and inward.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.